A Duty of Care
by paynesgrey
Summary: Jamie has a bad reaction to some alien foods and must rely on the Doctor and Victoria to take care of him. ONESHOT.


AN: Written for the public_call 2018 fic exchange for Auroracloud. This is a one-shot and will not be continued.

* * *

 **A Duty of Care**

With smiles on their faces, the Doctor, Victoria and Jamie left a local alien village with their bellies and their hearts full. The TARDIS has brought them here to help a local oppressed people overcome authoritarian outsiders, and through the Doctor's ingenuity and cleverness, were able to save lives and futures.

The villagers had rewarded them with a party, a warm meal of their local traditions, and soft beds to sleep on around a blue-green fire. Spirits and smokes were shared, and even the Doctor had been coerced into dancing around the fire, arm-in-arm with Jamie and Victoria.

When they left after a hearty breakfast, they returned to the TARDIS sleepy-eyed and mellow. Even Victoria was tittering happily, recalling the last night's events with glee. It was like the local skirmish that had disturbed these people's peace had been long forgotten since the Doctor intervened.

Once inside the TARDIS, the Doctor was already pittering away at the console, preparing for their next trip and checking the ship's systems.

"I think I'll have a bath then," Victoria said sleepily. The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement and Jamie leaned on the console and watched her as she went.

"If ye donna mind, Doctor, I'm gonna go lie down, take a nap," he said, and distracted by the readings on the console, the Doctor waved a hand and let him go without a word.

Jamie lumbered past him, feeling his stomach groaning with every step. Acid and fire churned uncomfortably in his gut, and he was afraid that he'd have to head to the TARDIS restroom instead of his bedroom. He hoped he'd make it to the loo before anyone noticed his discomfort.

He couldn't fathom what he'd eaten that had made him feel this way. Probably the alien food and spirits didn't agree with him, though he was sure that he'd eaten the same foods as Victoria and the Doctor, and they seemed fine.

"Urk," he moaned and then felt light-headed. He leaned against the wall and tapped it, hoping the TARDIS could maneuver a bathroom closer to him. "C'mon, ye wily ship, get me to the loo."

In the blurry haze of his vision, he wondered if they lighting was reacting to his words, or if he was seeing things. Mechanical pops and whirs emitted from the ship, in its own unique language Jamie assumed. Though, as he had no idea what it was telling him, he was sure it was at least acknowledging his discomfort and that he needed some help.

If only he could just get to the bathroom and get this alien muck out of his system, he'd be fine.

As soon as he thought of it, he knew he'd never get to the TARDIS bathroom in time, and he doubled over and spewed his breakfast, and probably some of his dinner from the night before, all over the floor.

Then, he heard Victoria's scream.

Through his dizziness, he felt her come up next to him and pat his shoulder. "Jamie, are you alright! Doctor, Doctor! Come quick! Jamie is sick!"

He felt her dainty hand on his forehead, and then she replaced her hand with her handkerchief, wiping his sweat away.

"Nah, I'm fine, love, don't make a fuss," Jamie said through ragged breaths.

"He's burning up," Victoria said, and Jamie could feel the cool, calm presence of the Doctor beside him.

After a quiet moment, the Doctor finally spoke. "Hrmm, seems he has a stomach bug. Let's get him to his room."

Jamie felt them support him and lead him along. Finally they had led him onto his bed and the cool feeling of the blankets and sheets felt great against his hot skin.

"I'll go get a medkit. Please stay with him, Victoria," the Doctor instructed, and Jamie knew that even if he'd never said so, Victoria wasn't going anywhere.

She took his hand and wiped his brow, and just her presence next to him was a comfort. He turned to her through bleary eyes and gave her a weak smile.

In a few minutes, the Doctor hurried into his room, bringing a bucket and the medkit. He shuffled Victoria out of the way and she watched as he'd began treating him with technology that she didn't understand. He spoke softly to Jamie, reassuring him that he'd heal up well.

"These nanites will take over and target the causes of your ailment. Drink plenty of fluids, and then just rest. You should be all better in the morning," the Doctor said.

Jamie nodded, and the Doctor turned to Victoria. "Ah, would you make us some tea, dear. And use the lemon ginger, milk on the side."

Victoria nodded and she gave Jamie a desperate look before heading out toward the TARDIS kitchen. The Doctor puttered about in the room, making sure everything Jamie needed was accessible, and then made a motion to leave.

Jamie reached out, and lightly grabbed the Doctor's coat sleeve. "Doctor, please, coulda ye stay a lil' bit?"

The Doctor nodded with a quick smile, though he looked a little awkward and nervous. As the nanites and medicine started to take effect, Jamie felt better almost immediately, though his stomach still felt weak, and he was sure that he'd vomit again a few times during the night.

He took a deep breath, and sat up a bit in his bed, feeling annoyed by his condition.

"I don't get it," the Doctor said. "We all consumed the same food. How are you the only one that became ill?"

"Och, it was a huge lot of food, Doctor. Something must have slipped in," he guessed.

"Hmm, true," the Doctor said. "Jamie, I'm terribly sorry this happened to you, but I promise you'll be better in no time." He clapped Jamie lightly on his shoulder and paced about the room. Jamie could tell the Doctor was worried, and he was riding on a lot of nervous energy.

"Doctor, I'm a'right," Jamie said. "You needn't fuss. Jus' a bit of food poisoning. Used to have it when I was a wee lad, and thought me mum boiled it out of me. Had to have an iron stomach to take on here food, haggis stew and cow tongue pie. Stuff that would make Victoria faint." Jamie chuckled and the Doctor grinned.

"Ah, but this is food in a different time and space. Your system is certainly not used to it. Though I'm surprised that Victoria is not feeling the same," he said.

"Aye, well, I dinna think she ate that much. She seemed a bit pickier on her choices," Jamie said. He turned to the Doctor, who had not removed his hand from Jamie's shoulder. Jamie inhaled a breath, feeling a soothing sensation from the closeness and the Doctor's regard for his health. The way he fussed over him, and Victoria, was endearing and it gave Jamie a feeling of family more than he'd ever felt before.

He patted the Doctor's hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Thank ye, Doctor. For what'cha done for me."

The Doctor met Jamie's gaze, and a warmth fluttered in Jamie's heart. There was so much he wanted to say to the Doctor, but he knew he could only show him how much he meant to him. He showed him by protecting the Doctor, and Victoria, and doing the unsavory things that the Doctor wouldn't do to make sure their group was safe.

"Well, Jamie, don't mention it. I do have a duty to care for you and Victoria. After all, we have seen more danger than this," he said in a soft voice.

"Aye, that's true. Och, it's so annoying to be in bed with a stomach bug!" he exclaimed, though the burst of energy made him feel immediately weary.

"Now then, rest, dear Jamie," the Doctor said, and Jamie met the Doctor's bright smile in a long minute, and he felt his heart swell again. The Doctor did not look away, and Jamie appreciated the silence exchange of affection.

Soon, Victoria appeared in the door, and the smell of lemon and honey soothed his senses.

"The tea's ready," Victoria said, and Jamie looked at her with the tray and was instantly glad for her company too. She looked like a darling picture in his doorway, holding the tray of tea and biscuits and smiling prettily at them.

"Very good, Victoria," the Doctor said, rising to take the tray from her. He set it at the night table by Jamie's bed and began pouring the warm, lemon-scented liquid into the three cups. He added milk to two and handed the one without to Jamie.

"Best to keep dairy from your system, Jamie. It may have a bad reaction with the nanites," the Doctor said.

"Yes, Doctor," he said with a nod. Victoria shyly stepped forward, taking her tea and then watching Jamie.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Jamie smiled. "As long as you two are here fussin' over me, I suppose I'm much better," he said.

They finished their tea and kept Jamie company. He relaxed in his bedding, staring at the ceiling as Victoria listened to an engaging story from the Doctor. The last thing he remembered, the Doctor was talking about the time he'd met a famous painter who liked to paint water lilies, and how his gardens had always made him feel relaxed and calm.

With the Doctor's soothing voice and Victoria's sweet laughter in his ear, Jamie had lulled to sleep, feeling grateful for the good friends he had, even if it meant it was their turn to take care of him.

END


End file.
